Valve-operating device



Aug. 12 1924. 1,504,876

J. F. DUNN VALVE OPERATING DEVICE Filed April '7, 1922 4 A TTIORNEY Patented Aug. 12, 1924.

tlttiTtlD STATES A assists JDSEPI-I DUNN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VALVE-OPERATING DEVICE.

Application filed April 7, 1922. Serial No. 550,319.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPI-I F. DUNN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve- Operating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for individually and collectively controlling a plurality of valves, adapted to be operated a time motor or similar device, whereby any or all of the valves in the series may be automatically closed or opened after a predetermined interval of time. I have shown and described the device as applied to a gas cooking stove but the device is adaptable to other gas controlled devices when used with water boilers, heaters or the like and it can also be employed in connection with electric control devices or any device where it is desired to selectively operate and con-- trol a plurality of light, heat or power control devices. This selective control, when the invention is applied, for instance, to a gas cooking stove, makes it possible to cause the gas to be turned on or off from the gas burners, from one to all of them, after a certain interval of time during the absence or nonattendance of the operator.

The invention in the apparatus illustrated comprises a controlling bar upon which is mounted a movable finger for each of the gas cocks, which, when the bar is in normal inactive position may be set in active position to bear against the handle of its respective cock to close the cock when the bar is actuated by a time motor, or otherwise.

The connections directing the movement of the controlling bar are of an arcuate character, so that the fingers when set in operative positions will move in arcs coaxial with their respective cocks, thus avoiding all radial friction between the fingers and the handles of the cocks.

These salient features with others relating to special points of construction will now be referred to in connection with a description of the accompanying dnawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the invention applied to operate a series of gas cocks eX- tending from the side of a gas main.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same, and

Fig. 3 illustrates a modification in the means for actuating the controlling bar.

The gas cocks 1, of which there may be any number, three being shown, connect with gas main 5, by nipples 6, and to gas burners, not shown, by pipes 7 they are of the usual construction, having operating handles 8.

The controlling bar 9, is, at 10, pivotally connected to the outer ends of links 11,

connected to rock horizontally on brackets 12, by screw pivots 13, said brackets being securely held on the main gas pipes 5, by clamping devices 14.

The bar 9, carries an operating finger 15, for each of the gas cocks 4, adapted to be placed in vertical position to act against the handles of the cooks, as shown at the left 01:1 the drawing, Fig. 1, or be depressed below the handles so as not to act thereon, as shown at the right and center of the drawing, when the bar 9, is moved towards the right. To provide for setting the fingers in the two positions they may be pivoted in socket pieces 16, carried by the bar 9.

It is desirable that when the fingers 15, are set to close the cooks they bear on the handles 8, without rubbing action; to insure this the links 11, have their stationary centers 13, approximately in line with the centers of the cocks 4:, so that the pins 15 on the bar between the centers 10, will move in arcs coaxial with the respective handles 8, of the cooks, and it is on this line of the bar 9 that the fingers are located when set in vertical with the andles remain constant when the bar 9 is moved to cause the fingers to close the cooks.

As before stated any or all of the cocks may be automatically closed, as for instance, as shown, the cocks at the left and center are open with their gas burners in action and the cocks at the right closed, with its gas burner, of course, out of action; the finger 15, of the left cock is set to act on its handle,'the other two fingers are depressed in inoperative positions; now when the bar 9, is moved towards the right at the predetermined time the cock at the left will be closed, cutting off the flow of gas to its burner, and the center cock remains open with the gas still flowing to its burners.

To operate the controlling bar 9, automatically, any suitable time motor may be used, as'for instance, a clock 17 of an alarm osition, so their radial relation the cord or chain 18, whereby it is moved at the predetermined time to releasethe bell crank lever and the bar 9.

, I have found that the relative distances and adjustments are difierent on stoves of different types and therefore an adapter is necessary; one type in connection with the socket'pieces 16 and fingers being shown. Holes or slots 24E are formed in the bar 9, the base of each slot being serrated in a series of curves while the top is straight. This slot and the adjustment of the operating fingers has a double function; experiment will show Where the socket pieces 16 and the fingers 15 must be placed in order that the fingers effectively operate on the handles 8 to close the gas cocks. In addition to this adjustable feature where a complete closure is not sought, as for instance where it is desired that the articles placed on the burner should be allowed to simmer after a predetermined period of greater flame, the socket pieces or any number of them can be placed beforehand in that portion of the slot, which permits the upright fingers to close the valve handle, not so as to turn the gas'off completely but. just enough to leave a suflici'ent amount of flame for the required period.

The further back the socket pieces 16 are placed the sooner will the fingers move out of engagement with the valve handle permitting an uninterrupted but reduced flow of gas and resultant flame from that period of time.

After the bar has been acted upon by the time mechanism the upright fingers act as a lock on the handles and the valves cannot be opened without disengaging the mechanism. This is an effective check against the opening of such valves by children or other unintentional opening.

Theadvantages of this device are several. Not only can the gas (and in other devices light, heat and power) be turned off thereby but particularly one or more valves of a number can be selectively operated to turn the gas off from such outlet. It is obvious that by reversal of the mechanism the light, hpfat or power can be turned on instead of o I claim:

1. A device for operating a plurality of valve handles, comprising controlling means, movable members carried thereby, and supporting and guiding connections for the controlling means, each movable member being adapted to be set in the path of travel of its respective valve handle, whereby the set members will act to operate their respective valves when the controlling means is actuated.

2. A device for operating a plurality of valve handles, comprising controlling means, movable members carried thereby, and supporting and guiding connections for the controlling means, each movable member being adapted to be set in the path of travel of its respective valve handle, whereby the set members will selectively operate their respective valves when the controlling means is actuated.

3. A valve handle operating device, co1nprising controlling means, a movable member carried thereby, and supporting and arcuate guiding connections for the controlling means, the movable member being adapted to be set in the path of travel of the valve handle, whereby the set member will move coaxilly with and act to operate the valve when the controlling means is actuated.

4. A device for selectively operating a plurality of valve handles, after a predetermined interval of time, comprising controlling mcans, movable members carried thereby, supporting and guiding connec- ,tions for the controlling means, and timing mechanism for moving the controlling means after a predetermined interval of time, each movable member being independently adapted to be set in the path of travel of its respective valve handle, whereby the selected set members will act to operate their respective valves when the controlling means is actuated when the time interval has elapsed.

5. A device for operating a plurality of valve handles, after a predetermined interval of time comprising controlling means, movable members carried thereby, supporting and arcuate guiding connections for the controlling means, and timing mechanism for moving the controlling means after a predetermined interval of time, each movable member being independently adapted to be set in the path of travel of its respective valve handle, whereby the selected set members will move in arcs coaxial with and act to operate their respective valves when the controlling means is actuated when the time interval has elapsed.

6. A device for selectively operating valves after a predetermined interval of time comprising a plurality of 'alve connections, controlling means therefor, timing mechanism attached to such controlling means whereby any number of the connections may be simultaneously and selectively operated by the coi'ltrolling means when the time interval has elapsed.

- 7. A gas cock operating device comprising a controlling bar, a movable finger carried thereby, and supporting and arcuate guiding connections for the bar, provided with means for attachment to a gas range, the finger being adapted to be set in the path of travel of the cock handle, whereby the set finger will move in an arc coaxial with and act to operate the cock when the controlling bar is actuated.

8. A device for operating a plurality of gas cocks, comprising a controlling bar, movable fingers carried thereby, and sup porting and guiding connections for the bar provided with means for attachment to a gas range, each finger being adapted to be set in the path of travel of its respective cock handle whereby the set fingers will act to operate their respective cocks when the "3 controlling bar is actuated.

9. A. device for selectively operating a plurality of gas cocks, comprising a controlling bar, movable fingers carried thereby, and supporting and arcuate guiding connections for the bar provided with means ling bar after a predetermined interval of time, each finger being independently adapted to be set in the path of travel of its respective cock handle, whereby the selected set fingers will act to operate their respective cocks when the controlling bar is actuated when the time interval has elapsed.

11. A device for operating a plurality of gas cocks after a predetermined interval of time comprising a controlling bar, movable fingers carried thereby, supporting and arcuate guiding connections for the bar provided with means for attachment to a gas range, and timing mechanism means for moving the controlling bar after a predetermined interval of time, each finger being independently adapted to be set in the path of travel vof its respective cock handle, whereby the selected set fingers will move in arcs coaxial with and act to operate their respective cocks when the controlling bar is actuated when the time interval has elapsed. 12. The combination with a pipe and a plurality of valves extending laterally from the pipe, of an actuating member for each valve, a frame reciprocally mounted alongside the pipe and adjacent the valves, movable members carried by the frame and adapted to be independently set in a position to move the corresponding valve actuating member upon movement of the frame, and timing mechanism for moving the frame after a predetermined period has elapsed to thereby actuate the valves corresponding to the members set in said position.

13.. The combination with a pipe and a plurality of valves extending laterally from the pipe, of an actuating member for each valve, said members being disposed above the pipe, a frame reciprocally mounted on top of the pipe and adjacent the valves, movable members carried by the frame and adapted to be independently set in a posi tion to move the corresponding valve actuating member upon movement of the frame, and timing mechanism for moving the frame after a predetermined period has elapsed to thereby actuate the valves corresponding to the members set in said position.

14. The combination with a pipe and a plurality of valves extending laterally from the pipe, of an actuating member for each valve, a frame reciprocally mounted along side the pipe and adjacent the valves, movable members carried by the frame and adapted to be independently set in a position to move the corresponding valve actuating member upon movement of the frame, said members being independently adjustable along the frame, and timing mechanism for moving the frame after a predetermined period has elapsed to thereby actuate the valves corresponding to the members set in said position.

15. The combination with a pipe and a plurality of valves extending laterally from the pipe, of an actuating member for each valve, a frame reciprocally mounted alongside the pipe and adjacent the valves, members carried by the frame adjacent the valve actuating members, each of said frame carried members being independently adjustable along the frame and also having two positions in one of which it is engageable with the corresponding valve actuating mem ber upon movement of the frame, and timing mechanism for moving the frame after a predetermined period has elapsed to thereby actuate the valves corresponding to the members set in said position. v

16. The combination with a pipe and a plurality of valves extending laterally from i the pipe, of an actuating member for each valve, said members being independently adjustable along the frame, a frame reciprocally mounted on top of the pipe and adjacent the valves, members carried by the frame adjacent the valve actuating members, each of said frame carried members being independently adjustable along the frame and also having two positions in one of which it is engageable with the corresponding valve actuating member upon movement of the frame and timing mechanism for vmoving. the frame after a predetermined period has elapsed to thereby actuate the valves corresponding to the members setin said position.

17. The combination with a pipe, and a plurality of valves extending laterally from the pipe, of a device supported by the pipe and movable alongside the valves, timing mechanism for moving the device after a predetermined period has elapsed, and mechanism carried by saidmovable device andindependently associable with the respective valves for actuating a predetermined or selected valve a predetermined amount in response to the movement of the device by said timing mechanism. 7

18. The combination with a pipe, and a plurality of valves extending laterally from the pipe, of a device supported by the pipe and movable alongside the valves, timing mechanism for moving the device after a predetermined period has elapsed, and mechanism carried by said movable device and independently associable with the respective valves for actuating a predetermined or selected valve a predetermined amount in response to the movement of the device by said timing mechanism, said mechanism including fingers independently adjustable along the frame and having two positions in one of which the finger 18 engageable with the operating mechanism of the corresponding valve.

19. A device for operating a number of valves simultaneously, or for selectively operating a lesser number simultaneously, comprising atime controlled movable memher having devices independently adjustable to engage with the valve operatlng mechanism of the corresponding valve or to be disengaged therefrom.

Signe'd at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 5th day of April, 1922.

JOSEPH F. DUNN. [11. s] 

